The review of the literature on phonological processing abilities and disabled readers focuses on: (1) the nature of phonological processing skills, (2) causal relations between phonological processing ability and learning to read, and (3) attempts to train phonological processing skills. (Author/DB)

The article provides an overview of a special topical issue on information processing as it relates to learning disabilities. Components of information processing theory are described, a model of information processing is presented, and subsequent articles in the special issue are summarized. (JW)

The article describes the triarchic theory of human intelligence, which is composed of three subtheories: componential, experiential, and contextual. Deficient cognitive strategies and inadequate knowledge in certain domains may result from the inability of the learning disabled to selectively encode, compare, and combine information, or from an…

A major focus in reading difficulty is lack of automaticity in decoding, which overloads the attentional system, leads to the use of small, meaningless visual processing units such as the individual letter, places heavy demands on short-term memory, and interferes with comprehension. Techniques for diagnosis and remediation are noted. (Author/JW)

An overview is presented of information processing analyses of knowledge and performance in three areas of the elementary mathematics curriculum: basic addition and subtraction facts, complex procedures such as multicolumn subtraction, and the solution of word problems. Theories of the knowledge associated with "expert" performance are discussed.…

The article explores information processing models of spelling performance and argues that an adequate theory of spelling processes must include: (1) qualitative changes in performance as a function of maturation that underlie development of automaticity; (2) transactional development of spelling-related knowledge structures and efficient…

A needs assessment survey of 381 learning disabled young adults, 948 service providers, and 212 advocates identified and ranked perceived problems in six areas: academic, health, vocational, daily living skills, social skills, personal adjustment. Detailed results are reported, including identification of vocational needs by service providers and…

Employers (N=326) from six states were surveyed about their attitudes toward hiring the handicapped in general and the learning disabled in particular. While employers were conditionally willing to make special allowances for handicapped workers, only about one-half stated they would hire learning disabled workers. (Author/JW)

A survey of special education teachers, school officials, and parents of learning disabled students suggested that labelers attach multiple and sometimes conflicting meanings to "learning disabled," that formal and informal criteria are employed by labelers, and that backgrounds, work duties, and interest of labelers apparently influence their…

Paraprofessional training in administration and scoring of educational and psychological tests for learning disability diagnosis is examined, and it is concluded that projected disadvantages outweigh advantages, indicating caution in adopting the practice. (Author/CL)

Fifty-five dyslexic and 30 normal readers (8-12 years old) were administered the K-ABC. Normal readers demonstrated significantly higher scores on the cognitive subtests of "Hand Movements,""Number Recall, Word Order," and "Matrix Analogies" as well as on each achievement subtest, the "Sequential" and "Achievement" factors, and the "Mental…

The study involving 33 children referred to school psychologists compared the Bender Gestalt and the Minnesota Perceptual Diagnostic Test-Revised (MPDT-R) in ability to predict intellectual and academic performance as measured by standardized tests. Factor analysis suggested that the MPDT-R provides unique information concerning…

The use of a nonvisual tactual and auditory tutorial method to teach initial reading skills to 16 reading disabled children (ages 7 to 14) was evaluated. The method was shown to be less effective than sighted methods. (DB)

Of school districts making high use (HU) and those low use (LU) of regular class placement options, HU special education administrators were generally more positive than LU Ss about mainstreaming and placement issues. HU teachers were more positive than LU teachers on several issues, and principals as a group were dramatically more positive than…

Evidence is presented that both reading disabled (RD) and normal reading attention deficit disordered (ADD) children are at high risk to become numerically incompetent adults. It is theorized that this incompetence may be rooted in failure to memorize basic number combinations. (Author/CL)